WRITTEN BY
ABSTRACT
This
paper an attempt to fill a missing gap created by the nations 6-3-3-4 new
educational systems, which has neglected the study of history at the primary
and secondary school levels. It is not a
case of our youths disliking the subject per se but a case of our educational
planners not considering it as one of the priority subjects. On the contrary, greater emphasis is placed
on the study of science and technical subjects. This is however done at the
expense of history, which is a leading subject, in arts and other related
disciplines. Apart from being a professional discipline, the knowledge of
history provides strong basis for the practice of general administration and
understanding of human and
international relations.
Introduction
History
as a discipline has many definitions, but this paper will put forward only two.
History is the stuffy of past events of
man, history deals with how these events
happened and why they happened. It also means the record of past events or activities of man;
It
is the study that deals with the past
activities of man and his environment. Furthermore, we can see history
as the picture we can make of men and women, of
our ancestors and past heroes who
were very much like us, what happened to
them and how they lived. History
as a discipline studies the
actual events. It deals with realities not fake stories or guess
work NNOLI (1993:1X2). E.m. Iweka
(Mrs) (2000:9x10) defined history thus: history shows the record of the
past. It gives account of the activities
of the past of man. It is the study of
the past, both of ordinary people and
those famous in peace and war, with the
events arranged in order of their happening. It is possible to show how one
thing helped to lead to another.
Generally
therefore, history has to do more with
the past and present than with future events. All the same, it is the house of wisdom, the
wisdom of experience that guides
clever leaders.
HISTORY AND MANKIND
Frankly, no text will contain the volume of the use of
history to mankind, but for the sake
of this work, the following used of history will be put forward as to buttress the claim that history
is for nation building as a discipline.
-
history brings about
the development of an alert mind.
-
History promotes
understanding of the present and
the future of man in his environment
-
History develops
in the individual a sense of cultural
heritage
-
History brings
about the training for participation in democratic government
-
History helps to
inculcate morality in the readers
-
History generates
sense of solidarity
-
History as well
gives or helps the individual to have
tolerant out look.
Development of Cultural Heritage
With
history, the nature of a society is learned, thus, we get acquainted with the
successes and failures of the culture, strengths and weaknesses of the people, friends and toes, achievements of the rulers as well as the elders. As a
result, one is able to know how much far the predecessors have gone and how much work is left behind or else, where to
continue from, hence the discipline here
is therefore refereed to as a course
for nation builder.
History
Trains The Mind
If
given as account in history form two or
more perspectives, one is able
to sieve ideas and come out with objective facts. Examples are the stories of the
Nigerian civil war can never be presented exactly the same for all sides.
Also, as it is taught, one is able to have a mental image of what happened.
History Gives Tolerant Outlook
It
is known that certain cultures are very aggressive and some
are hospitable. One of the causes of conflict or war is
peoples intolerance. Knowing this from past records will
go a long way to influence or colour
the individual’s behaviour in whatever thing he does in latter life. E.M./ Weka (MRS)
(2000:10-14).
History
and Nation Building in Nigeria Since Independence
The
knowledge of history made our founding
fathers to see Nigeria as their
personal thing, hence, the struggle for
total emancipation of out country form
the hands of the colonial masters. The
idea of nationalist movement in
Nigeria from 1922 was the handwork of
history. History created
nationalist current in nigiera like in othe rpasts of Africa: during this period nationalist movements began
to grow,
in 1923 a great historian nationalist, Herbert
Marculey formed the National Democratic
Party (NDP). In the same vein in
1944, one of Nigerian greatest historian
and an academic journalist, Dr.
Nnamdi Azikwe formed the National Council of Nigeria and Camerouns (NCNC).
in that order, other political parties
were formed in Nigeria by the then heroes and great historians, and
with their nationalist spirit and struggles, they gained total emancipation for nigierans by October
1st, 1990 without shading of blood.
Their effort
united the nation, there was peace security and progress, even our economy was
very stabled and well diversified, the image of our country Nigeria abroad was highly respected. Science
history teaches the
readers the spirit of patriotism, ethnics, mind –training, gives
pleasure and wisdom, the discipline was seen then as a
nation builder, and all the national leaders that embraced it proved their mantles, but reverse is the
case nowadays, that history is no long taught in the primary and junior secondary schools in
Nigeira. E.M Iweka (mrs ) (2000: 79 x85)